Keith Paul Bishop

Keith Paul Bishop

Keith Bishop works with privately-held and publicly-traded companies on federal and state corporate and securities transactions, compliance, and governance matters. He is highly-regarded for his in-depth knowledge of the distinctive corporate and regulatory requirements faced by corporations in the state of California. While many law firms have a great deal of expertise in federal or Delaware corporate law, Keith’s specific focus on California corporate and securities law is uncommon. A former California state regulator of securities and financial institutions, Keith has decades of experience navigating the regulatory-intensive state’s rules. For companies with substantial operations in California but incorporated elsewhere, Keith is an exceptional resource. He is frequently called in to help with issues arising under California’s “blue sky” and lender laws. An avid writer, Keith’s blog, www.calcorporatelaw.com, covers a diverse collection of California corporate and securities law issues and has served as a valued resource for other attorneys, business executives, judges, and media, nationwide.

Recent Posts

Does Governor Brown's Signing Message Have Any Legal Effect?

In 1968, Richard Nixon campaigned for president claiming to have a secret plan to end the war in Vietnam.  With the war still continuing in 1971, Congress included in the Military Procurement Authorization Act the "Mansfield Amendment" urging...

Acknowledging Potentially "Fatal" Flaws, Governor Signs Board Gender Quota Bill

When California's board gender quota bill, SB 826, was introduced last January, I raised several questions:

Confirmation In California

As in the federal system, gubernatorial appointees to many California state agencies and departments are subject to confirmation by the Senate.  Cal. Gov't Code § 1322.  There are, however, a number of important differences between the federal and...

Ninth Circuit Holds General Partnership Interests To Be Investment Contracts

The definitions of "security" in Section 2(a)(1) of the Securities Act and Section 3(a)(10) consist of long lists of instruments. Nowhere in these lists are partnerships interests. In 1981, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals adopted three factors...

Court Of Appeal Finds No Property Transfer In Reverse Triangular Merger

Five years ago, I commented on the dearth of authority on whether a reverse triangular merger constitutes an assignment:

As The Clock Winds Down, Criticism Of California's Gender Quota Bill Winds Up

The Governor has until this Sunday to sign or veto bills passed by the legislature before September 1. Cal. Const. Art. IV, Sec. 10(b)(2). One bill in the Governor's inbox is SB 826. If signed by the Governor, SB 826 would impose gender quotas on...

The General Corporation Law's "25th Amendment"

Generally, a board of directors of a California corporation may not remove one of its members. Removal of a director is in most cases the province of the shareholders. Thus, Section 303 of the Corporations Code allows the shareholders to remove any...

California And Joint Stock Associations

Occasionally, I have devoted space to the topic of unincorporated associations.  See Thinking About Joining A Club? You May Want To Consider These Corporations Code Provisions FirstFederal Court Allows Reverse Veil Piercing Of Unincorporated...

Court Holds "Converted Entity" Is Not "Effectively" The Same Entity

Two years after filing suit, the corporate defendant ("Old Monterey") in a lawsuit converts into an limited liability company ("New Monterey") pursuant to to the California Corporations Code. In the parlance of the Code, Old Monterey is a...